READING CULTURE AS A TOOL FOR PROMOTING

EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Ogwu, M. F.
The College Library, Kogi State College of Education
Ankpa, Kogi State, Nigeria
E-mail: mfogwu1@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
The place of reading culture in educational development can best be described as
strategic. The prevailing regime of poor reading habit among youths in Nigeria
is highly disturbing because the situation is already adversely affecting the country
socially, economically and politically. The government efforts in fighting illiteracy,
examination malpractices and under development are speedily being thwarted
by decline in reading culture among the general populace. This paper therefore
reviewed conceptual definitions of reading culture and highlighted its importance
to the individual and the country at large. It also locateed the place of the library
in the promotion of reading culture in Nigeria and the effect of reading culture on
educational development. It was concluded that if the present low level of reading
culture in the country is allowed to continue, it will lead to a retarded growth and
development of the country. Therefore, setting up of functional libraries across
all nooks and crannies of the country and embarking on attitudinal change
campaigns in favour of reading culture are recommended among others.
Keywords: Reading culture, tool, educational development

INTRODUCTION
All over the country, there has been the general feeling among Nigerians that
reading culture has been a missing link in the educational development of the nation.
People are worried that there has been a high rate of decline in the reading culture
among school children in Nigeria. Indeed, close observational studies of students
within the academic environment of this researcher shows that most students read
only during the examination periods while few only make attempts at reading for
knowledge and pleasure. Sadly enough, what is happening at present is that the
students' reading time has now been taken over by watching of home videos, television
programmes and the browsing of internet for games, social interactions with foreign
friends and other less beneficial indulgences.
This is a worrisome development for, in a situation like this; experts say it
poses serious problems for the country in the future (Chika, 2009 and Sandars, 2007).
In the event that poor reading habit is sustained, it will lead to the continuous high
failure rates in internal and external examinations by students, increase in students'
drop-out rate, poverty, production of unskilled man power for the country, high rate
of illiteracy, frustration and loss of self esteem. According to Omo-Ojugo (2005), a
report jointly produced by the World Bank and the Nigerian institute for Social and
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Economic Research at Ibadan in 2001 on the Nigerian graduate confirms the fears
of Nigerians over the lack of interest by school children to take to reading as a way
of life. The report reveals that the average graduate who leaves a university or
polytechnic with a degree or certificate is not worth the qualification, which he is
supposed to have.
The report concludes that the average Nigerian graduate lacks technical skill,
has a poor command of English, is poorly trained and is largely unemployable. This
to my mind is totally unfortunate. This paper therefore seeks to identify the areas
where reading culture can support the development of education and suggest ways
by which reading culture among students can be strengthened in Nigeria.
READING AND READING CULTURE
Adima (1990) defines reading as the complex act of dealing with
communication in written form, visual or in pictorial illustration. He explains that
when a pupil reads, he gets the message in words, sentences, paragraphs and longer
selection presented in written form and pictures. He says that the message might be
in descriptive material (non- fiction) or imaginative material (fiction). He points out
that in reading, the Child's tasks were to grasp information presented and to interpret
and apply the information.
Horner (1988) cites Widdowson (1979) which suggests that reading is the
realization of general interpretative process which underlies all communicative
activities; the first level being the immediate comprehension of information while
the second is the dissemination of this information into patterns of conceptual
significance. He argued that reading is not just a question of reaction but of interaction
between the writer and the reader which is mediated through the text. He says that
extracting meaning from a text depends crucially on two things namely the reader's
knowledge and his purpose and also the writer's effectiveness in giving the reader
the necessary pointers to activate his knowledge and also to help him absorb new
knowledge from the text.
Sandars (2007) defines reading culture as a learned practice of seeking
knowledge, information or entertainment through the written word. She says that
the practice could be acquired by reading books, Journals, Magazines, and
Newspapers etc. According to her, having a reading culture is imperative for citizens
if the future of the country is to be guaranteed. Agada (2008) cites Olaolfe (2003)
which defines reading culture as the art of inculcating reading habits and interests in
learners through conducive reading environments and copious reading activities.
He says that in the school set up, the art of inculcating reading habits and interest in
learners rests squarely on teachers, stressing that the importance of reading, especially
in learning, is not in doubt.

IMPORTANCE OF READING
The importance of reading to the individual and to the society cannot be over
emphasized. Chika (2009) outlines the virtues of reading to include the provision of
individual's welfare, social progress and international understanding, the provision
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of skills, knowledge and the right attitude that frees one from idleness or boredom.
She points out that reading is not just for school but also for life and that it enhances
the chances of success at school and beyond. She observes that achievement in reading
is necessary for achievement in school, adding that when a poor reader makes no
provision for achievement, he is eventually frustrated into a miserable failure. Agade
(2008) states that reading is an indispensable tool for learning in the various hierarchies
of modern educational set up which he opines facilitates the learning process and
effectively promotes intellectual development in the learners. Sandars (2007) stresses
that reading is essential to full participation in modern society because it adds quality
to life and provides access to culture and cultural heritage. She posits that reading
empowers and emancipates citizens and brings people together. She is also of the
view that it is through reading that a child broadens his/her understanding of life,
affords him/her the tools to explore his/her talent while learning about himself and
his society. According to Sandars (2007), reading enables creativity to blossom in
the child. The English Philosopher Francis Bacon (1561-1626) once said that while
speaking makes a ready man and writing, an exact man, reading makes
a full man. Consequently, there is fulfillment in indulging in the reading culture.
PROBLEMS OF ENTRENCHING READING CULTURE IN NIGERIA
The poor reading culture among our youths has been attributed to a number
of factors. These factors include the distraction by the fallouts from technological
innovation in the world today, such as the easy availability of the entertainment
media, games and gambling, the inadequate funding of educational institutions
including funding of libraries, laboratories, workshops and computer units. The list
also includes poor economy and low standard of living, the quest for money by
parents who use their children to hawk consumer items, the acceptance of examination
malpractices, the increasing cost of publishing making it difficult for school pupils
to have access to books, magazines, journals and newspapers. Others include the
lack of adequate number of bookshops and the use of handouts instead of textbooks
for students’ learning (Fortune news, 2009 and Sandars, 2007).

LIBRARIES AND THE PROMOTION OF READING CULTURE IN NIGERIA

Ogwu (2006) highlights the various ways by which libraries can be used as a
platform for entrenching reading culture in Nigeria. The first strong point here is the
fact that the library has a variety of learning resources such as books, computers, the
virtual library facilities etc. Secondly library offers a much more conducive atmosphere
or silence which makes it conducive for reading. The third factor is that library
provides reading accommodation for large number of users which is more as a result
of the fact that it is cheaper to access library information than what the home or the
office can offer the reader. The fourth factor in this direction is that library offers
more conducive atmosphere or silence which is necessary for developing a reading
habit. In libraries, information can be discovered very quickly because the cataloguing
and classification treatment has been applied. Finally, the library offers the readers
the services of professionals and experts to meet their information needs.
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 EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Okeke (2004), cited by Odiba (2007) posits that to some people, development
refers to growth plus change. He says that Okeke's definition gives a complete process
in which not a single aspect of human life such as education, health, agriculture,
industry and aspiration can be ignored. Odiba (2005) equally, contended
that development suggests "a genuine break with tradition or perceptible disruptions
of the static equilibrium". Osagie (1985) states that development is a more
inclusive concept with its social, political and economic facts and emphasizing
that development is a quantitative and qualitative positive transformation of
the lives of the people.
Education in the largest sense is any act or experience that has a formative
effect on the mind, character and the physical ability of an individual. In its technical
sense, education is the process by which society or a nation transmits accumulated
knowledge, skill and the values from one generation to another. Teachers in
educational institutions direct the education of students and might draw on many
subjects including reading, writing, mathematics, science and history otherwise
known as schooling. Adesina (1981) gives an indication of what educational
development should be made up of. They include the establishment of greater number
of schools, high number of school enrolment at all levels of education. It also includes
the provision of learning facilities such as functional libraries, laboratories,
workshops, computer units and games facilities. The tailoring of the education
curriculum that is relevant to gaining employment, academic, research activities or
efforts that will lead to technological, industrial, agricultural and scientific
breakthrough for the progress and prosperity of the nation. Others include the kind
of education that will lead to the sustenance of high moral and spiritual values,
capacity building, adequate motivation and the welfare of teachers, adequate funding
of education in the country and the provision of education that will create self reliance
creativity and the realization of the individual potentials and aspirations in life.

READING CULTURE AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The place of reading and learning in educational development is a prominent
one. Reading facilitates and deepens the learning activity and effective learning results
in high academic, moral and skills development. The aggregation of all such
achievements by large number of persons involved in reading and learning should
lead to the educational growth and development of such persons and entire society.
Highly intelligent and informed society then becomes the watershed for progressive
and innovative ideas which is capable of transforming the entire society for growth
and development.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

There is no doubt that the reading culture among the Nigerian youth is fast
eroded. One can even say that the past generation made up of our fathers and
grandfathers had a remarkable thirst for knowledge through education in spite of the
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limited resources they contended with. Our present generation of youths is risking
the future educational growth and development of our dear country by their refusal
to imbibe the reading culture. Unknown to them however, knowing how to read and
accepting reading as a way of life even for its own sake is an invaluable asset.
The following recommendations are made to promote reading culture in
Nigeria. Firstly, government at all levels should establish libraries across the length
and breadth of the country; in all schools and for the public. This can be done
by reasonably increasing the education budget allocation and deploying a good part
of it into setting up libraries. These libraries should be sufficiently supplied with
reading resources so as to achieve the desired learning impact on the readers. Secondly,
the private sector with educational enterprises should be made to set up standard
libraries as part of the requirement for establishing primary and secondary schools.
To this end, school proprietors should be made to meet with adequate capital
requirement for running of a school, part of which will be used to set up a good
library for the students to read in.
In addition, private companies in the oil and gas, banking, communication,
food and drink, manufacturing etc should be encouraged to set up libraries for schools
and communities as part of their social/corporate responsibilities in the country.
Thirdly, the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the publishing companies
should mount awareness campaigns in schools and communities in the country on
the dangers and consequences of the present negative reading habits among Nigerians
on the future growth and development of the country. This can be done by holding
attitudinal change talks in favour of regular reading by citizens in schools and in
communities, media campaigns on such consequences and the setting up of readers
club in schools and communities in the country.
Fourthly, the system of performance evaluation in schools in the country
should focus more on using library and information resources in the execution of
students' assignments, projects, drama and debating activities. Finally, governments
at all levels should partner with the private sector and the NGOs to reward school
children and individuals that demonstrate evidence of commitment to the reading
culture. This can be achieved by organizing award nights and library weeks where
prizes can be given out to the deserving individuals and groups.

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